33rd Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Living with Awe, Trust, and Hope

 

We continue to read from the book of Revelation until the end of the liturgical year.

Having concluded the messages to seven churches, John is given a vision of the throne room of heaven: the beautiful and majestic creator of the universe, sits on a throne, and shining like precious gems, receives the worship of his heavenly court.  These verses evoke awe and wonder at the majesty of God, and they are reminiscent of heavenly visions described in the Old Testament—especially the vision of Ezekiel. 

In the first three chapters of the Book, we heard the messages to the seven churches and how many of them are experiencing persecutions and suffering for the Gospel. 

Chapter four begins with this vision of the glorious king of heaven. And reading on we will discover that the glorious king is not just sitting in heaven aloof or unconcerned with the plight of his Church. Like he announces to Moses in the burning bush, he has heard the cries of his people. And he is about to do something about it. 

And so the rest of the book of Revelation will detail how God’s plan of salvation comes to perfect completion. Scrolls will be opened, seals will be broken, trumpets will be sounded, angels will be sent, bowls of plagues and cataclysms will be poured out, as God’s justice is meted out, evil is conquered for ever, and the final chapters of human history on earth come to a close, before ushering in the new creation, a new heavens and a new earth.

Revelation is an absolutely fascinating book of the Bible that we are honored to read through during these last days of the liturgical year, reminding us that God is at work to bring about his justice, and that all things must come to an end in order to begin something new.

As we reflect on these readings from Revelation, let us draw practical lessons for our daily living.

First, cultivate a sense of awe and worship in your prayer life. Spend time adoring God for who He is—not just for what He does for us. Let the grandeur of this vision inspire a deeper reverence in your heart.

Second, trust in God’s sovereignty. Just as He hears the cries of His people and acts in Revelation, He is attentive to our struggles today. Whatever challenges you face, surrender them to the Lord, knowing that His justice and mercy are at work.

Finally, live with hope and readiness. Revelation reminds us that history is moving toward a glorious fulfillment in Christ. Let this inspire you to persevere in faith and to share the good news with others, so they too may share in the promise of the new creation.

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, let these truths strengthen your faith and renew your commitment to live as a disciple of the Risen Lord for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in God’s sovereignty, we bring our prayers before the Lord, who hears the cries of His people.

For the Church, that she may continue to proclaim the majesty of God and inspire the faithful to live lives of awe and worship

For world leaders, that they may govern with justice and seek peace, mindful that God’s sovereignty calls all to account

For those who are persecuted or suffering for the Gospel, that they may find strength and hope in God’s promise to bring His justice to completion

For our community, that we may deepen our trust in God’s providence and live with readiness for the fulfillment of His divine plan

For all of the sick and the suffering and those who feel overwhelmed by life’s trials, that they may surrender their challenges to the Lord and experience His mercy and peace

For the faithful departed, for whom we pray in a special way during this month of November, that they may share in the glory of the new creation and behold God’s face in the eternal kingdom, especially N. 

Almighty God, you are the King of heaven and earth, and your plan of salvation is perfect and just. Hear our prayers, strengthen our faith, and guide us as we await the new creation. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

2nd Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Friday - Keep your heart fixed on Christ

 Over the past two weeks, our weekday readings have made their way through just over half of the Letter to the Hebrews.

Remember, the letter was written first to those jewish converts to Christianity. For accepting Christ, they were kicked out of their synagogues, they were persecuted by the Romans, and their gentile brothers and sisters in Christ were probably a bit skeptical of them at times too. 

So the author to the letter to the Hebrews writes to these dear ones and reminds them to hold fast to their Christian faith, don’t fall back to the old way of life, but throughout all of your troubles, everything that you are going through, your rejection by former friends and family, the hostility from the Romans, the very slow acceptance of gentile Christians, throughout all that, keep your heart and mind focused on Christ.

And the same is true for us: going through an illness, keep your heart focused on Christ; a family drama—keep your heart focused on Christ; an economic crisis, a temptation of an addiction you thought you had long-ago overcome? Experiencing paralyzing anxiety? Keep your heart focused on Christ. Imagine him. Imagine his face. Imagine him nailed to the cross for you. With real effort of will, fix your heart on Him.

This mid-section of the letter to the Hebrews is highly Christocentric. Chapters five, six, seven develop a rich theology of Christ’s priestly sacrifice. He is the eternal high priest. He is the fulfillment of the both the priesthood of Melchizedek and the priesthood of the Levites. He himself is the sacrifice, offering himself to his Father out of love for us.

Today, from chapter 8 we hear how the Lord having died and risen, has ascended to the right hand of His Father in heaven, into the heavenly sanctuary. The perfect sacrifice has risen to the heavenly sanctuary itself. The self-sacrifice of the obedient Son is now in heaven and is a guarantee of the promises of salvation—a guarantee of the new and everlasting covenant.

This explains the Letter to the Hebrew’s emphasis on keeping your heart fixed on Christ. For the Father Himself in the heavenly sanctuary fixes his eyes and heart on his crucified-and-risen Son. To keep your heart fixed on Christ is a divine thing. It’s a foretaste of heaven that can carry you through the most difficult moments of life. It’s the act of the will that can be justified at every moment of every day, Keep your heart fixed on Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, care for her, and aid her in her mission.

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may establish and preserve harmony among us.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may grant them relief and move Christians to come to the aid of the suffering.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.